WhiteBIT lands in the UK as global expansion push ticks FCA regulatory boxes

WhiteBIT, the largest European crypto exchange by web traffic, has launched whitebit.uk to serve retail and institutional users in the United Kingdom, one of the world’s biggest crypto markets.

The UK launch is the latest for the Ukraine-founded exchange, which has been on an aggressive expansion trail since it secured a broker license in Georgia in April and announced a US expansion in late 2025, as Cryptopolitan reported.

Is WhiteBIT now in the UK? 

UK retail customers on whitebit.uk can trade spot pairs, use instant conversion tools, and deposit British pounds through payment cards and the Faster Payments Service, according to the company’s announcement on its blog.

For institutional clients, there is access to liquidity support, market-making infrastructure, token listing services, and API connectivity.

Crypto lending and auto-invest features will also be available; however, WhiteBIT stated that these are subject to onboarding checks and UK regulatory requirements.

Volodymyr Nosov, the founder and president of W Group, WhiteBIT’s parent company, stated that “Entering the UK market marks an important milestone in WhiteBIT’s expansion across regulated jurisdictions,” adding that they “see strong demand for platforms that combine innovation with a high level of trust, transparency, and compliance.”

Why are crypto exchanges pushing for UK expansion? 

UK crypto ownership has been climbing. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) data from late 2025 showed 91% public awareness of cryptoassets and roughly 8% of adults holding digital tokens, with nearly three-quarters of those holders using centralized exchanges, per WhiteBIT.

In April, the FCA published a consultation on guidance for the country’s incoming crypto regime, with full rules expected this summer and an authorizations gateway set to open on September 30. The UK’s parliament confirmed in February which cryptoasset activities will fall under regulation starting October 2027.

The country ranks among the top global markets for crypto engagement, according to Chainalysis, whose 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index tracked on-chain and off-chain activity across 151 nations.

Which countries is WhiteBIT now licensed in? 

WhiteBIT has built its expansion strategy around compliance credentials. The exchange holds European exchange and custody authorizations and was the first platform to earn Level 3 certification under the Cryptocurrency Security Standard from the CryptoCurrency Certification Consortium.

In April, WhiteBIT obtained a broker license from Georgia’s National Bank, allowing it to trade crypto derivatives, including perpetual futures, in the country. In December 2025, it entered the US market with an independent entity and operational licenses in hand. It stated that it has plans for a New York headquarters.

The company also signed a partnership with Saudi conglomerate Durrah AlFodah Holding in November 2025 to pursue blockchain infrastructure and tokenization projects in the Kingdom.

WhiteBIT claims that more than 35 million users globally are through its W Group parent. The platform was founded by Nosov in 2018 and registered in Lithuania. CoinMarketCap data shows that the exchange reportedly handles over $1 billion in daily spot trading volume. However, it holds plans to expand its product lineup and local presence as the market moves ahead.